Anti-reflective coating on oxide particles for sunscreen applications

ABSTRACT

Zinc oxide compositions and methods for applying anti-reflective coating on oxide particles for sunscreen applications are provided herein. A composition includes multiple zinc oxide particles suspended within a medium forming sunscreen composition, and two or more coating materials applied to each of the multiple zinc oxide particles in distinct layers via a gradation based on refractive index, wherein each of the coating materials has a refractive index that is between the refractive index of air and the refractive index of zinc oxide, and wherein the two or more coating materials comprise one or more fluoropolymers and aluminum oxide.

FIELD

The present application generally relates to chemical technology, and, more particularly, to sunscreen technologies.

BACKGROUND

Sunscreen creams and other such compositions are commonly used to prevent ultraviolet (UV) radiation (also referred to herein as “light” in this context) from reaching the skin of a human user and causing damage. It is noted that UV light is an electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength range between approximately 280 nanometers (nm) and approximately 400 nanometers (specifically, that is the range of UV radiation that is not absorbed by the ozone).

A common active ingredient of existing sunscreen compositions is zinc oxide (ZnO). ZnO is a semiconductor that has a specific band gap, and particles of ZnO used in existing sunscreen compositions are typically approximately 50-200 nm in size. Additionally, in existing sunscreen compositions, typical ZnO materials are capable of absorbing UV light (that is, blocking the UV light from passing through the sunscreen composition to be absorbed by the skin of the user) within a wavelength range of approximately 290 nm through only approximately 350-380 nm.

Additionally, high sun protection factor (SPF) sunscreen compositions, which can absorb a large majority of the UV light in the range of 290-380 nm, require the addition of a higher density of ZnO particles, which causes the composition to become white and/or opaque due to light scattering from the ZnO particles, and which is an often undesirable property to consumers.

SUMMARY

In one embodiment of the present invention, zinc oxide compositions and methods for applying anti-reflective coating on oxide particles for sunscreen applications are provided. An exemplary method can include steps of selecting one or more coating materials to be applied to one or more zinc oxide particles in a sunscreen composition, wherein said selecting is based on one or more optical properties of each of the coating materials, wherein the one or more optical properties comprises at least the refractive index of each of the coating materials, and applying the one or more selected coating materials to the one or more zinc oxide particles to create the sunscreen composition.

In another embodiment of the invention, a composition can include multiple zinc oxide particles suspended within a medium forming sunscreen composition, and two or more coating materials applied to each of the multiple zinc oxide particles in distinct layers via a gradation based on refractive index, wherein each of the coating materials has a refractive index that is between the refractive index of air and the refractive index of zinc oxide, and wherein the two or more coating materials comprise one or more fluoropolymers and aluminum oxide.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments thereof, which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating coating of a ZnO particle, according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a multi-layer coating of a ZnO particle, according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a roughened surface coating of a ZnO particle, according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating techniques, according to an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As described herein, an embodiment of the present invention includes zinc oxide compositions, methods of fabrications thereof and methods of use thereof. Specifically, at least one embodiment of the invention includes one or more anti-reflective coatings (ARC) on oxide particles for sunscreen applications.

As further detailed herein, one or more embodiments of the invention include generating ZnO compositions and methods of use thereof for effectively blocking more and/or all of the complete spectrum of UV light (that is, as noted above, the UV radiation that is not absorbed by the ozone, and which ranges between approximately 280 nm and 400 nm) while also preventing whitening effects caused by the scattering of light in the visible spectrum (that is, radiation between approximately 400 nm and 700 nm). As used herein, “scattering” refers to the deflection of rays of visible light from their original path due to interaction with particle surfaces.

As noted above, at least one embodiment of the invention includes applying an ARC to the outside of ZnO particles (within a sunscreen composition) to create a core-shell structure. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating coating of a ZnO particle, according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. By way of illustration, FIG. 1 depicts a single-layer ARC 104 applied to the outside of the ZnO particle 102. In such an example embodiment, the ARC 104 can be a material having a refractive index that is between that of air and ZnO, which allows light to better couple into the ZnO particle 102 and prevents scattering at the ZnO/air interface. In one or more embodiments of the invention, examples of ARC materials can include silicon dioxide (SiO₂), magnesium fluoride (MgF₂), one or more fluoropolymers, aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃), zinc sulfide (ZnS), titanium dioxide (TiO₂), or one of more combinations thereof. The selection of the particular composition of ARC material(s) can depend, for example, on the specific properties desired (by a user) from the coating.

Additionally, and as further detailed herein, in at least one embodiment of the invention, the coating(s) applied to a ZnO particle can be dense or porous. As used herein, a “dense” coating refers to a coating that is solid and contains no voids, whereas a “porous” coating refers to a coating that contains voids which may become filled with air. Further, in at least one embodiment of the invention, the coating(s) applied to a ZnO particle can include surface texturing or can lack surface texturing.

A coating, such as utilized in one or more embodiments of the invention, can increase the light that can enter a ZnO particle, thereby increasing the UV absorption of the particle assembly. For example, at least one embodiment of the invention includes applying one or more ARC materials to a ZnO particle to implement and/or manipulate a refractive index grading to manage the ZnO particle's interaction with light (via, for example, absorption and scattering).

As also described herein, an optical ARC which surrounds a ZnO (or, in one or more embodiments of the invention, TiO₂) particle present in a sunscreen composition reduces the scattering of light from the particle surface. The reduction of scattering can reduce the whitening of the sunscreen for a given level of UV protection. In at least one embodiment of the invention, implementing a coating that suppresses the scattering of visible light by the (ZnO) particles can consequently allow more of the UV light to be transmitted through the sunscreen layer, as opposed to being deflecting at the (ZnO) particle surface. By transmitting the visible light instead of scattering it, the (ZnO) particles will have a decreased whitening effect (which would likely be a desirable product characteristic).

In one or more embodiments of the invention, such as depicted in FIG. 1, the coating can include a single layer. Additionally, and as depicted in FIG. 2, at least one embodiment of the invention can include applying multiple layers of coating, wherein the refractive index of the layers can be graded between that of the ZnO and that of the ambient environment (for example, air).

Accordingly, FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a multi-layer coating of a ZnO particle 102, according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. By way of illustration, FIG. 2 depicts a coating that utilizes multiple layers in an ARC stack, namely layer 202 and layer 104. In such an embodiment of the invention, the multiple layers (202 and 104) in the ARC stack can vary in refractive index from between that of ZnO and that of an ambient environment (for example, air) in gradations. Additionally, in one or more embodiments of the invention, a coating can include two or more materials that are combined in a given layer to achieve a specific refractive index.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a roughened surface coating of a ZnO particle 102, according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. By way of illustration, FIG. 3 depicts a coating 104 which incorporates a textured surface 302 to enhance light in-coupling into the ZnO particle 102. Roughening the surface of a coating can, by way of example, facilitate the transition from air to the ZnO particle (that is, n=2). In other words, in one or more embodiments of the invention, a roughened surface can be designed and implemented to perform similarly to a coating with an infinitely graded refractive index. Additionally, one or more embodiments of the invention can include incorporating a roughened and/or textured surface on a coating layer with or without adding/applying a second coating layer.

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating techniques, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Step 402 includes selecting one or more coating materials to be applied to one or more zinc oxide particles in a sunscreen composition, wherein said selecting is based on one or more optical properties of each of the coating materials, wherein the one or more optical properties comprises at least the refractive index of each of the coating materials. The refractive index of each of the one or more selected coating materials has a refractive index that is between the refractive index of air and the refractive index of zinc oxide. Additionally, the optical properties can include reduction of scattering at an interface of air and the one or more zinc oxide particles.

As described herein, in one or more embodiments of the invention, the one or more coating materials can include silicon dioxide, magnesium fluoride, one or more fluoropolymers, zinc sulfide, aluminum oxide, titanium dioxide, or one or more combination thereof. Also, the one or more coating materials can include two or more coating materials, wherein the two or more coating materials vary in refractive index. In one or more embodiments of the invention, the two or more coating materials can be applied to the one or more zinc oxide particles in distinct layers via a gradation based on refractive index. Further, in at least one embodiment of the invention, the two or more coating materials can be combined to form a single combined coating material having a target refractive index.

Step 404 includes applying the one or more selected coating materials to the one or more zinc oxide particles to create the sunscreen composition. The techniques depicted in FIG. 4 can also include texturing the surface of the one or more coating materials. Additionally, at least one embodiment of the invention can also include applying an additional one or more coating materials to the textured surface of the one or more coating materials.

Also, an additional embodiment of the invention includes a composition that includes multiple zinc oxide particles suspended within a medium forming sunscreen composition, and one or more coating materials applied to each of the multiple zinc oxide particles, wherein each of the coating materials has a refractive index that is between the refractive index of air and the refractive index of zinc oxide, and wherein at least one of the coating materials incorporates a textured surface. In such a composition, the one or more coating materials can include at least one of (i) silicon dioxide, (ii) magnesium fluoride, (iii) one or more fluoropolymers, (iv) aluminum oxide, (v) zinc sulfide, (vi) titanium dioxide, and (vii) one of more combinations thereof. Additionally, in such a composition, the one or more coating materials can incorporate a textured surface, and the one or more coating materials can include two or more coating materials that vary in refractive index.

Additionally, in one or more embodiments of the invention, the two or more coating materials can be applied to the one or more zinc oxide particles in distinct layers via a gradation based on refractive index. Alternatively, in one or more embodiments of the invention, the two or more coating materials can be combined to form a single combined coating material having a target refractive index.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of another feature, step, operation, element, component, and/or group thereof.

At least one embodiment of the present invention may provide a beneficial effect such as, for example, applying a coating to a ZnO particle, whereby the coating increases the light that can enter the ZnO particle, thereby increasing the UV absorption of the particle assembly.

The descriptions of the various embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration, but are not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the embodiments disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein was chosen to best explain the principles of the embodiments, the practical application or technical improvement over technologies found in the marketplace, or to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A composition comprising: multiple zinc oxide particles suspended within a medium forming sunscreen composition; and two or more coating materials applied to each of the multiple zinc oxide particles in distinct layers via a gradation based on refractive index, wherein each of the coating materials has a refractive index that is between the refractive index of air and the refractive index of zinc oxide, and wherein the two or more coating materials comprise one or more fluoropolymers and aluminum oxide.
 2. The composition of claim 1, wherein at least two of the coating materials are combined in a respective one of the layers to form a target refractive index for the respective layer.
 3. The composition of claim 1, wherein at least one of the coating materials incorporates a textured surface.
 4. The composition of claim 3, wherein the at least one coating material incorporating a textured surface is the outermost layer applied to each of the multiple zinc oxide particles.
 5. The composition of claim 3, wherein the at least one coating material incorporating a textured surface is the innermost layer applied to each of the multiple zinc oxide particles.
 6. The composition of claim 1, wherein at least one of the coating materials comprises a dense coating material, wherein a dense coating material comprises a solid coating material containing no voids.
 7. The composition of claim 1, wherein at least one of the coating materials comprises a porous coating material, wherein a porous coating material comprises a coating material containing one or more voids. 